Andy Mann - Pro Blog 3

Told you so, HA! Psyched, stoked, happy — all the standard superlatives apply. Good ol' sunshine. It just makes me want to sing songs by The Allman Brothers and eat a goddamn peach, I'll tell ya.

This morning we realized that the rains had brought a load of toads into the dried-out swimming pool in our yard. They had no way out and had been treading six inches of water until they croaked. No pun intended. Lisa waded in today with some kitchen utensils and saved the remaining. It was epic. It was brave. She is Lisa Rands!!! Lisa also finished her two-year project and dispatched Nutsa (V12) today. Proud.

Yesterday the whole group hiked back out to The Eight Day Rain Sector. Which, by the way, was named after a storm last season twice as long as the one we just sat though. Conditions were amazing and we were greeted by a group of baboons calling the boulders we were about to climb on home. After a little standoff, we proved to be the larger apes. Your strong mo' spray down goes like this: Daniel flashed Tony's new classic Barracuda (V11), as well as Black Mango (V11) and the Shark Arete (V10). Paul followed close to suit and by day's end added a nice sit-start to Barracuda (V12).

Lisa saving a toad.

The day was ending and I decided to revisit a nice boulder I had noticed weeks before. I was very surprised that the belly had a few "holds". I tell ya folks, it looks impossible. Six moves of Compression beyond Compressing. By headlamps Daniel, Noah, and I started chalking up holds and psyching up Woods. He did all the moves in the cool evening temps; each move at or near his limit. It is now a matter of time before someone links them all and sends it. I am very excited to see the progression of this boulder. Tonight we will hike back out to the boulder by headlamps again

Noah Kaufmann being Noah.

Noah Kaufmann has proven himself as Grandmaster of the chess table thus far. Wills has probably come the closest to beating him, but I am swiftly picking up on his game. His opening moves are destroyers and it takes at least two bottles of wine to put him off his game. We will see more of this matter later.

Somewhere along the way, someone decided it was a good idea to buy pellet handguns for each of us. They were right! We have been having all out wars – every person for themselves. These guns pack a punch, too. Ouch! Tony wins each war with his "nothing- to- lose- because- I-can't-climb- anyway" Scarface tactics. Be afraid, be very afraid. The French crew is beginning to pack up and will fly home in a few days time. They are a blast to hang out with and we will all be sad to see them go. Tony is climbing his last few days with his knee brace on and hoping for the best. He is a caged beast these days, but has stayed resilient and bright, making us all laugh till we cramp. He has also been using crutches to come out and hang at the boulders. Things are good, good, good. I am blessed to be alive and here. Every passing second is special and every passing moment is being captured. Let’s talk soon. Thanks PrAna. Thanks La Sportiva. Thanks Organic. Cheers! -Andy